Sonia Garcia Monuz is among ex-catering firm employees who claim they are owed unpaid wages.

Watch: Three people who say they are owed wages tell the BBC about their experiences What happens when your boss is also the HR department, the grievance handler and the person deciding whether you get paid? Sonia Garcia Monuz is one of several workers trying to recover money she believes she is owed by a catering firm based in Berkshire. Latest figures show early conciliation cases involving unpaid wages rose by about 17% between 2024 and 2025, according to Acas – the independent body that helps resolve workplace disputes. Sonia began working as a full-time chef at Viking Catering Ltd in June 2024 and says the first six months were positive. But after a series of disagreements with the owner, she handed in her notice and left in August 2025. Sonia says she was never paid her final pay packet and is owed £2,300. She says she is not the only person affected. "Some people don't have savings. I was working to survive… I had to use my credit card in order to pay my rent and I had to ask for money from my family."